Earticle

This study was conducted with DNA chip analysis to investigate genotypes of SNPs in genome wide association (GWA) of Korean native cattle (Hanwoo) in Gangwon region and extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) among SNP markers. Genomic DNA for genotyping was extracted from the tissue samples of Hanwoo steers (n=139). A total of 54,609 SNPs were screened using Bovine SNP50K BeadChip. The filtering resulted in 35,769 useful SNPs, which were used for LD analysis. The total length of the SNP markers used in the analysis was 2499.26 Mb, the mean of minor allele frequency was 0.273 and the average interval distances of adjacent SNP markers by each chromosome was 60 to 82 Kb in GWA. The results of this study which confirmed by using Hanwoo steer in Gangwon, showed a pattern similar to previously reported studies for Hanwoo. Greater than 0.2 of LD value (r2) observed 34 percentage at adjacent SNP markers within 50 Kb. Also graph showed an exponential trend the decay of LD with physical distance. When the decay of r2 with a distance was plotted separately for each chromosome, the average r2 values were lower than 0.2 on BTA 13, 15, 19, 23, 25, 28, and 29 in the less than 40 Kb when compared to all other chromosomes. Therefore this study could be utilized as baseline data using genetic improvement, helpful in a genetic breeding system for Gangwon Hanwoo.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of supplementary levels of dietary betaine and energy on nutrient digestibility and physiological responses in growing pigs exposed to heat stress. A total of 12 barrows (L×Y×D; initial BW, 67.1±0.98 kg) were allocated into individual metabolic crates. Experimental design was a 4×4 Latin square with dietary energy and betaine levels (3,300 and 3,400 kcal/kg; 0 and 0.5%, respectively) and the experimental period (n=4). Feeding trial was performed during summer season (July and August). Digestibility of crude fat was higher (p<0.01) in the ME 3,400 kcal/kg than the ME 3,300 kcal/kg, but did not differ by betaine (p>0.05). Blood corpuscles and biochemical components were not influenced by dietary energy and betaine levels (p>0.05). Serum IgG was greater (p<0.05) in the ME 3,400 kcal/kg than the ME 3,300 kcal/kg, but cortisol was not differ among the treatment groups (p>0.05). In conclusion, our results showed positive effects by energy levels rather than betaine. Thus, further study need investigation of effects of high energy level in the pigs exposed to heat stress.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of a physico-chemical treatment on the reduction of odorous compounds from a swine farm. The physico-chemical treatment consisted of a system with a curtain and a spray of ozonated water. This treatment is a physical one for collecting the exhausted air, odor gas inside the curtain and additionally a chemical treatment because it comprises an ozonated water spray to remove odor compounds by ozone oxidation. Ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, trimethylamine, volatile organic compound, and complex odor were found in high concentrations in the pigsty before and after installation of the physico-chemical treatment system, but the concentration of odorous compounds outside the curtain and on the perimeter of the swine farm decreased significantly (p<0.01). The volume of odorous compounds also showed a similar trend as that for the odorous compound concentration. The results of this study showed that the concentration of all odorous compounds inside the pigsty were high regardless of the season, with spring and winter accounting for the highest values due to minimum ventilation. Outside the curtain and perimeter of the site, the concentration of odorous compounds and odor generation fluctuated according to the ventilation intensity of the pigsty. Almost no odorous compounds were detected in spring and winter when ventilation intensity is low, and high concentrations of odorous compounds were found in summer and autumn (p<0.01). The conclusions of this study are that the concentrations of odorous compounds emitted from pigsties can be reduced by more than 90% by filtering, disassembling and sterilizing the curtain and ozonated water spray system. Therefore, it is expected that this system will alleviate the problems caused by the diffusion of odorous compounds and improve the acceptance levels of intensive pig farming.

Serum plays a role as biomarker in the assessment of health condition or severity of diseases. The separation method, storage temperature and duration affect the levels of cytokines and its biochemical constituents. In this study, blood sampling was performed from Hanwoo cattle through jugular venipuncture. All blood samples were kept at 26±3℃ for 1~2 h and then separated into four conditions (groups a-d). For group (a), the serum was immediately separated (control group) and stored at -70℃; for group (b) the separated serum was kept in ice box for 2 h and then stored at -70℃; for group (c) the collected blood samples were stored in ice box for 2hrs before serum separation; and for group (d); the whole blood was kept at 4℃ for 24hrs before serum separation and then stored at -70℃. All serum samples were stored at -70℃ until analysis. Depending on serum separation time, storage period and temperature, IFN-γ level revealed no significant differences; whereas, TNF-α level was significantly lower (p<0.05) in group (d) than in groups (a-c). Besides, concentration of albumin and total protein were significantly higher (p<0.01) in (d) than that in group (a). The levels of magnesium and calcium also echoed similar results (p<0.05). But G-GTP was significantly lower (p<0.05) in group (d) compared with other groups. Therefore, considering the distance between the farm and the laboratory, it is necessary to minimize the effect of temperature and storage time on serum cytokine and biochemical concentration.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a infection that can easily spread when it occurs and causes serious economic damage because of the existence of multiple serotypes of the virus and extreme contagiousness. The most effective method in preventing the transmission of FMD virus (FMDV) is the culling of livestock and additional vaccination in the other areas depending on the spreading rate and situation. Diagnostic methods are utilized not only for the definite diagnosis of FMD but also for identification of serotype, and confirmation of antibody production after vaccination. Although many methods have been developed to diagnose, they are not still enough to detect accurately the disease in a short time. Therefore, it has been needed new diagnostic methods improved from existing methods. Previous methods were based on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a serological diagnostic method, or polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is a molecular genetic method. The recent technology has been performing about the combination of both methods and how to make it faster, less costly, more sensitive and accurate way.